The Poultry Yard

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 880, 25 January 1930, Page 30

The Poultry Yard

(Bu

080. B. AMBLUR.)

DRINKING WATER

T must impress upon readers that the neglect of small details of life bring the greatest trouble, and this is especially noticeable in poultry-keep-ing. One of these too often overlooked is clean drinking water, and I contend that the importance of a plentiful supply of pure water for poultry cannot be over-estimated, especially when it is considered that in an egg the white contains 50 per cent, and the yolk SO per cent, of water, so that it follows that the quality of the egg laid is dependent upon the nature of it 3 largest constituent parts. It will be found that six hens will daily consume one quart of water. If one considers that fact alone one will see how absolutely necessary it is that pure water should be given, as it enters into the composition of the blood, bone and flesh of all live stock, and is therefore one of the great essentials. In fact, the important detail (pure water) must be considered just as essential to life and growth as pure air. For readers* benefit. I will state that scientists prove beyond doubt that the tendency of water is to absorb obnoxious effluvia, and there is no greater source of unhealthiness than when stagnant water is allowed to be consumed by your fowls. Small bodies of water when left exposed to the sun's rays, soon lose their freshness and satisfying qualities, and if drunk in any quantity by the birds will cause disease and retard the operation of the functions of the body. Most of the diseases that fowls suffer from may be traced to the neglect in providing them with clean fresh water, and, as I have said before, although it is such an inexpensive detail, it is of the greatest importance when profitable poultry is the desideratum. With chickens and young birds generally, tainted and sun-warmed water is invariably associated with gapes or cholera, both of which contagious diseases will soon carry off the birds. SCRUB DRINKING VESSELS

It is useless to pour clean water into a dirty trough, and really it is disgraceful to notice how often poultry keepers neglect to scrub out the drinking vessels. I have seen them all green round the sides, accumulated mud at the bottom, and yet they pour water into such a diseasespreading vessel, never giving it a thought that this will prevent a plentiful supply of eggs, will cause crop trouble, and seriously injure the health of the birds. Fancy a bird having a cold, and the mucous from its nostrils getting deposited in this dirty water. Surely nothing will spread that cold quicker to the other birds than when they have a long drink, and take this foul liquid into their crops, which so quickly is spread through the system by the small blood vessels encircling the crop. Every trough should be cleaned out daily, and scalded out once a week. Empty the drinking vessel every night, and do not under, any circumstances give the birds water until after they have had their breakfast. Accept this special advice, act upon it, and you will have hardier and healthier birds, with lots more eggs. In frosty and very cold weather it is advisable to give the birds slightly warm drinking water after their breakfast. The above are valuable hints to one ?hnd all. Carry them out. Your poultry

Al’ this time of the year the above conveys much and I know from long experience the importance of attention in detail to the water and vessels it is contained in means success or failure, as disease is so soon spread through the drinking water.

will benefit, and you will thank me for the advice. January is always a hard month for the poultrykeeper, large or small. The commercial farm is heavily stocked, and young growing birds have voracious appetites. Egg prices have not risen to an appreciable extent, and this year the rise is not even normal for the season. Food bills have to be met in reasonable time, and an impossible load of debt to the corn merchant is quickly piled up. Apart from the anxiety of such a sum outstanding, it has other and serious disadvantages, not the least being that it practically prevents the poultry farmer from buying in the open market. Even the small poultrykeeper is sometimes at his wits’ end to know how to make provision for all the stock on hand. It is for the small poultrykeeper these notes are intended, because it is he who most frequently refuses to treat poultrykeeping as a business, to be conducted in the same way as any other business, with a thorough knowledge of the proportion between the outgoings and the return. At this point it may at once be said that where an unusually heavy head of pullets is being raised, the expenditure is bound to be greater than income for the next few weeks until the higher price of eggs and the contribution of the pullets to the egg basket again turn the scale. CARE OF CHICKENS What we wish to examine here is how the present outlay for food may be reduced. (1) It is quite usual to see chickens of three mouths old and upward still fed on an expensive rearing diet, which includes such items as hulled-oats and chicken fod, specially prepared grain mixtures and very costly proprietary mashes. There is no need whatever for such foods at this stage, the plainer the diet the better. A very small allowance of fish or meat meal if no milk is available may be given, but an excess of either is most harmful. Free range will provide all the green food required, and during showery weather all the protein also, so that during a spell of such weather the fish or meat meal may be withheld. Good bran, good sharps, a small allowance of maize meal, and, if obtainable at a reasonable price, a small allowance (say 10 per cent.) of ground oats, will see the pullets through if they have milk to drink. Where the ground oats are not available they may be replaced by half the quantity of oatmeal, but oatmeal is too expensive to buy for the purpose. Failing anything else, a mixture of good bran and sharps (both really good) and a little maize meal will raise good pullets if they get lots of milk. (2) Feeding may be too generously done. If the chickens get all they want they will not forage. Ail the poultry-keeper has to be quite certain about is that they go to roost with good crops. If they go to bed hungry and are not allowed out at an early hour growth will be slower. If there are no rats the houses may be left open so that the chickens are out hunting for food from 4 a.m. The early bird gets the proverbial meal long before the owner is awake. Chickens that are too near the house are always too well fed, the women being much the worse offenders in this way. If they are on range a busy housewife has not time to spoil them.

WORLD’S POULTRY CONGRESS

PREPARATIONS IN LONDON Great preparations are being made in England for the World’s Poultry Congress which is to be held at the Crystal Palace, London, in July. From reports to hand it is apparent that this year’s congress will be the most successful yet held. In view of this, one asks the question—What is New Zealand doing? Representations have been made to the Government by the New Zealand Poultry Association, New Zealand Utility Poultry Club and one or two other clubs, but I understand nothing has been done in the way of appointing a delegate to represent the Dominion at the bonference. It would seem as though Sir Joseph Ward’s Government, like all preceding New Zealand Governments, still looked upon poultry-keeping as the “Cinderella of Agriculture.” Over 60 Governments have signified their intention of participating, whereas 34 of these have set up national committees to organise the exhibits of. their respective countries. Yet, Our New Zealand Government does not consider the conference of sufficient importance to warrant a representative or exhibition of stock being sent from this country. New Zealand possesses some of the finest laying strains of poultry in the world ami the conference presents a unique opportunity for the exhibition of some of our utilitj r stock and the Government should most certainly assist breeders in that direction. The cost would be small compared with that devoted to quite a number of industries of far less importance to the Dominion that poultry-keeping. At the last two conferences New Zealand has been most ably represented at Barcela, in 1924, by Mr. J. B. Merrett. and at Ottawa in 1927 by Mr. R W. Hawke. I believe that I am correct in saying that both these men, with the exception of a small honorarium presented to Mr. Hawke by poultry-keepers, paid their own expenses. In their deputation to the Government, the New Zealand Poultry Association suggested that Mr. Fred. Brown, chief Government poultry expert, be sent to the conference as the Dominion’s representative and I know of no one who could more successfully represent the Dominion that Mr. Brown. Apart from this, it would be some small recognition for the untiring work performed by him and put into every section of the industry during the many years he has been chief poultry expert. He would, also, return imbued with new ideas which he would be able to convey to poultrykeepers in the Dominion. ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS J. H. H., Onehunga.—Pleased to hear growing: stock has responded so favourably to rations advised you in Sun. Regard ins’ your cockerels. From the description -you give I would advise you to retain No. 1. I never like breeding from a cock which has had a set-back as you state No. 2 had. Re the stringy matter in the droppings. It is a somewhat difficult matter to give an opinion without having first of all seen the droppings. Have you examined the droppings for worms. As to what age you can show a cockerel, it all depends upon his development. Some cockerels are fully developed at five months, whereas some take six to eight months. If a Leghorn, he should be full out in head points and tail. It is unwise to force cockerels that are wanted for exhibition purposes. Thanks for papers and good wishes. No, you do not overdo your questions. lam always pleased tc be of assistance to the amateur section of poultry-keepers. W. H. S., Ellerslie.—Writes to ask if Karswood spice is detrimental to the health of his birds and if it would be wise to give to his birds during the moulting season. Karswood, being- composed to a big extent of dried flies, is quite different from any other spice an' - can be used quite safely at any time. Regarding your moulting birds, it will assist then* to get through the moult more quicklv. Karswood spice is a stimulant and not an irritant as some poultry-, keepers imagine.

GENERAL NOTES

The following are the results of the Taranaki egg-laying competition to and including the forty-first week: In the White Leghorn section, M. Scanlon’s hen laid seven for the week, bringing her total to 263. The hens holding second, third, and fourth positions all laid six eggs for the week, thus maintaining their respective positions. A. J. Lacey’s leading hen in the Rhode Island Red section laid five eggs for the week, as did Gibbons Bros.’s hen in Golden Wyandottes, also A. J. Davey’s hen in Light Sussex. The leading hen in White Wyandottes laid six eggs. Langshans and White Rocks are not laying too well. The leading hen in the Brown Leghorn section, belonging to F. W. Walker, has laid 206 eggs. D. M. Waddell’s Black Orpington is still going strong, having again laid seven eggs for the week, her total being now 289. In the three-bird team test, light breeds, R. Cannon’s White Leghorn laid 19 eggs for the week. Gibbons Bros.’ Golden Wyandottes, the leaders in the heavy team test, laid 18. In the Fawn and White Runner duck section, D. Riley’s duck laid seven for the week, bringing her total to 229. V. L. Gane’s duck has now 227 eggs to her credit. In the White Runner section, D. M. Waddell’s duck laid seven, and is now only one short of reaching the 200egg mark. In the A.O.V. duck section, J. W. Carriek’s duck, which is runner-up to D. M. Waddell’s Black Orpington hen, laid eight eggs for the week, her total being now 272. I have received a schedule of the poultry and pigeon show to be held in conjunction with the Auckland Agricultural and Pastoral summer show, which will, be held at Epsom on February 27, 2S, and March 1. Practically all breeds and varieties are being catered for, and as the entry fee is low, with generous prize money, and popular judges officiating, fanciers should have no hesitation in supporting the show. The show, one must admit, is being held at rather a bad time, as a good many birds will be in the moult. In most yards, however, there are always numerous late moulters which could be given a run at the show. Some may even have young stock well enough advanced to show. Entries close on February 14 with Mr. O. Donnell, Auckland A. and P. Association, Albert Street, Auckland. Several poultry clubs, also specialist clubs, are now devoting at least one night a month to the giving of lectures on topics of especial interest to members. This is welcome news, as it is proof that the fancy side of the industry is still very much alive. At the last meeting of the Greymouth Club, when an interesting lecture was given on preparing birds for show, a record number of members was ill attendance. The New Zealand Utility Poultry Club has, for many years, held educational meetings in Christchurch, and a good attendance can always be depended upon on lecture nights. PERSONAL NOTES Fanciers will congratulate Mr. Corrie-Smith on his appointment as poultry-mail for Mr. R. S. Higginbotham, Henderson. Mr. Smith was for some time poultry-man to Mr. Tonkin, Auckland, for whom he staged quite a number of winners. Recently, however, he has been with Mr. J. N. McLean at Rotorua. Mr. Norman Hanson, Epsom, who had such a successful run with his canaries in the show pen last season, has had an exceptionally good season, having reared over 40 Norwich and 20 Yorkshire canaries. Practically all are showing promise of outstanding merit.